Bullet

ABSTRACT

A bullet particularly adapted for use in reloading previously fired cartridges, the bullet having retaining portions adapted to engage and seal against the internal surface defining the neck of a previously fired cartridge case to hold the bullet in position without requiring crimping or resizing of the case. The retaining portions function to pilot the bullet into the case and accurately align it with the case and, consequently, with the bore defined by the barrel of the firearm with which the cartridge, including the bullet, is to be used.

United States atet Duel" [45] Nov. 11, 1975 BULLET PrinmryExaminer-$tephen C. Bentley 76 I t I M D 4157 M Assistant Examiner-C. T.Jordan i 1 men or gzz g i i Mich 55 Attorney, Agent, or FirmMalcolm R.McKinnon [22] Filed: Jan. 21, 1974 Appl. No.: 435,037

[52] US. Cl. 102/921 [51] lm. Cl. F42B 11/02 [58] Field of Search102/921, 92.2

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,944,885 l/1934 Gerlich102/922 3,154,016 10/1964' Frey 3,345,949 10/1967 Nosler 102/922 5 7]ABSTRACT A bullet particularly adapted for use in reloading previouslyfired cartridges, the bullet having retaining portions adapted to engageand seal against the internal surface defining the neck of a previouslyfired cartridge case to hold the bullet in position without requiringcrimping or resizing of the case. The retaining portions function topilot the bullet into the case and accurately align it with the caseand, consequently, with the bore defined by the barrel of the firearmwith which the cartridge, including the bullet, is to be used.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 3,918,364

E j if if Z! BULLET BRIEF SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION This invention relatesto bullets for use in ammunition for small arms and, more particularly,to an improved bullet particularly adapted for use in reloadingpreviously fired cartridges.

In the manufacture of new ammunition for rifles, hand guns and othersmall arms, a bullet is pressed into a metallic cartridge case having aneck portion, the internal diameter of which is smaller than the outsidediameter or caliber of the bullet which is to be received. Pressing ofthe bullet into the cartridge case stretches the metal in the neckportion of the cartridge case slightly and causes it to grip the outersurface of the bullet so that the latter is sealed against the cartridgecase and is retained therein. When the new cartridge is initially fired,it becomes customized to the chamber of the particular gun in which itis fired, the initial firing of the cartridge producing a fit in the gunchamber that cannot be duplicated by any other means without prohibitivecost. Many firearms experts do not find mass produced, factory madeammunition entirely acceptable and, in an effort to overcome some of theobjections to such ammunition, firearms experts often make or hand loadtheir own ammunition using a previously fired, reusable cartridge case,and either purchase or mold their own bullets which are assembledtogether with exactly measured charges of explosive and a primer to forma cartridge. During such hand loading, it is usual to use a die toresize the cartridge case of a previously fired cartridge so as toreduce the diameter of the neck portion of the cartridge case which hasbecome enlarged due to the explosive forces during prior discharge in afirearm. When the bullet is pressed into the previously contracted neckportion of the cartridge case, the bullet stretches the metal in theneck portion in the same manner as with factory manufactured ammunition.Thereafter, it is also sometimes common to press or crimp the end of theneck portion of the cartridge case to facilitate gripping and sealing ofthe bullet and cartridge case. Such resizing to reduce the cartridgeneck diameter and its subsequent stretching to.

grip the bullet, although normally conducted under very carefulconditions, often lead to some of the same unsatisfactory results in theuse of the reloaded cartridge that is experienced with factorymanufactured ammunition. Moreover, firearms experts who hand load theirown ammunition are interested in reusing the cartridge case a number oftimes but the repeated contraction of the cartridge case during resizingand the stretching of the cartridge case during bullet loading, lead toa cold working of the metal in the cartridge case which unduly shortensits useful life.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved bullet whichacts to retain itself in a previously fired cartridge case and which maybe loaded in a pre viously fired cartridge case without requiring priorresizing or contraction of the neck of the cartridge case or crimpingthereof to retain the bullet in position.

It is another object of thepresent invention to provide an improvedbullet of the aforementioned type which may be assembled with apreviously fired cartridge case with less force than is usually requiredfor reloading ammunition.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved bulletfor use with a previously fired cartridge case which facilitates themaking of a reloaded cartridge enabling more precise location in thechamber of a firearm and, consequently, greater accuracy duringshooting.

In accordance with the present invention. a novel bullet is providedthat is adapted for use with the cartridge case of a previouslyfiredcartridge which. as a consequence of being fired, has beenaccurately fitted to the chamber of the firearm due to detonation whichbrings the case into conformity with the walls of the firearm chamber.The bullet embodying the present invention is formed with retainingportions which are adapted to grip the inner diameter of the previouslyfired cartridge case and to retain the bullet therein without requiringresizing of the cartridge case of subsequent crimping. The retainingportions of the bullet are preferably made ofa material which is moreductile than the material of the cartridge case and also are of aconfiguration such that they easily deform without applying unduepressure to the cartridge case.

The above as well as other objects and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description, theappended claims and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art type ofbullet normally used in the original manufacture of ammunition or in thereloading of cartridge cases;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a bullet embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a view, partially in cross section and with portions brokenaway, showing the assembly of the bullet illustrated in FIG. 2 with apreviously fired cartridge case;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a portion of the bulletillustrated in FIG. 2.,taken on the line 4-4 thereof;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a portion of the structureillustrated in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a portion of the bulletillustrated in FIG. 2 after the bullet has been fired through the boreof a firearm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings, and more particularly toFIG. 1 thereof, a bullet 10 is illustrated of the type which hasheretofore been commonly used in the original manufacture of ammunitionor during the reloading of previously fired cartridge cases. The bullet10 includes a nose portion 11 adapted to project from a cartridge caseand a butt portion 12 of the desired caliber having a cylindricalsurface 13 which is adapted to engage the internal surface defining theneck of the cartridge case. The nose portion 11 and butt portion 12 areseparated by a cannelure 14 which is adapted to receive the radiallyinwardly crimped forward end of a cartridge case to assist in retainingand sealing the bullet within the cartridge case.

In accordance with the present invention, and as illustrated in FIGS. 2through 6, a bullet generally designated 16 is provided having a noseportion 18 and a butt portion 20, the nose portion 18 and the buttportion 20 being separated by a cannelure 19. The outside diameter ofthe butt portion 20 conforms to the desired caliber and is provided witha plurality of annular ridges 22, 23 and 24, the ridge 22 being disposednear the forward end of the butt portion and the ridge 24 being disposednear the rear of the butt portion 20 while the ridge 23 is disposedintermediate the ridges 22 and 24. In the preferred embodiment of theinvention illustrated, each of the ridges is disposed between a pair ofgrooves 26 and 28 situated forwardly and rearwardly. respectively, ofthe associated ridge. The ridges 2 2, 23 and 24 and the grooves 26 and28 associated therewith may be formed by rolling the butt portion 20 ofthe bullet in a die ina manner well known in the art so that the groovesand ridges are formed simultaneously by displacement of metal. Theridges 22, 23 and 24 protrude beyond the normal outer cylindricalsurface 25 defining the caliber of the butt portion 20 and the grooves26 and 28 are disposed radially inwardly of the surface 25 of the buttportion. By way of example, with 38 caliber ammunition, the butt portion20 of the bullet 16 will have a nominal diameter or caliber of 0.357inches and ridges 22, 23 and 24 will protrude beyond the surface of thecylinder generated by the butt portion approximately 0.003 inches sothat the outside diameter of the ridges is 0.363 inches. The grooves 26and 28 may be formed with a depth of 0.010 inches so that the rootdiameter of the butt portion measured across the bottom. of the groovesis 0.337

inches. I

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, in the preferred embodiment of theinvention illustrated, the ridges 22, 23 and 24 protrude a lesserdistance beyond the butt surface 25 than the depth of the grooves 26 and28. As a result, each of the grooves 26 and 28 affords an annular spacehaving a volume greater than the metal in the portions of the ridges 22,23 and 24 extending beyond the surface 25 of the butt portion. 7

Referring now to FIG. 3, a previously fired cartridge case 30 isillustrated adapted to receive the bullet 16, the cartridge case 30having an internal surface 31, the inside diameter of which is slightlylarger than the outside diameter of the butt portion 20 of the bullet.The pressuresdeveloped during the firing of a cartridge may well be inthe order of 50,000 psi and the explosion tends to expand the metal inthe cartridge case to conform to the walls of the chamber of the firearmin which the cartridge has been fired. For example, with 38 caliberammunition, it has been found that after firing, the internal diameterof the cartridge case 30 is usually in the order of 0.359 inches, largerthan the outside diameter of the butt portion 12 of the bullet 10. As aresult, the bullet 10, shown in FIG. 1, would have a diameter smallerthan the internal diameter of the previously fired cartridge case 30 andwould slide freely therein. However, the bullet 16 embodying the presentinvention has a diameter measured across the ridges 22, 23.and 24 whichis slightly larger than the diameter of the internal cylindrical surface31 of the previously fired cartridge case.

When the bullet l6 embodying the present invention is used for reloadinginto a previously fired cartridge case, it is unnecessary to contract orresize the neck of such a cartridge case. To reload, the bullet 16 isaxially aligned with the axis of the cartridge case 30 and is pressedinto position so that the ridges 22, 23 and 24 engage the surface 31 ofthe cartridge case and are slightly deflected toward the grooves 26, asillustrated in FIG. on an exaggerated scale. I

Each of the ridges 22, 23 and 24 are identical and, as illustrated inFIG. 4 showing the ridge 23, the ridges are and particularly theexplosive charge therein from made with faces 32 and 34 which have anincluded angle of approximately 30. This provides a relatively thinportion adjacent the apex of the ridge which is easily deflectable. Ithas been found that such a configuration is satisfactory for copper cladbullets whereas the included angle may be larger with bullets made ofmore ductile metals such as lead. The relatively thin portion at theapex of each ridge, in combination with the physical properties of themetal of the bullet insures that the ridges 22, 23 and 24 will deflectslightly without permanent distortion or expansion of the cartridge case30.

The ridges 22, 23 and 24 also function to accurately center the bullet16 within the cartridge case 30 so that the axis of the bullet and theaxis of the cartridge are in proper alignment. Since prior firing of thecartridge has made the case 30 conform accurately to the chamber of thefirearm in which the cartridge was fired, reloading of the case 30 withthe bullet l6 insures that the bullet will be properly disposed on theaxis of the barrel of the firearm when the reloaded cartridge isdisposed in the chamber of that firearm. Greater accuracy is thusobtained than with prior art forms of reloadable bullets.

The ridges 22, 23 and 24 which have been distorted upon pressing thebullet 16 into the cartridge case, act as retaining portions formaintaining the bullet within the cartridge case. As shown in FIG. 5,illustrating the flange 23, the apex of each flange is deflected towardthe left or open end of the cartridge case and will resist movement ofthe bullet 16 relative to the case. The deflected portions of the ridges22, 23 and 24 resist removal of the bullet 16 from its case 30sufficiently so that additional crimping of the case is not required.However, with certain types of high velocity cartridges, it may bedesirable to deflect the very forward, formerly open end of thecartridge case into the cannelure 19. Such deformation does not detractfrom the accurate location of the bullet relative to the cartridge case.

It has also been found that, in addition to retaining the bullet withinthe cartridge case, the deflected ridges 22, 23 and 24 afford a sealwhich protects the cartridge moisture, oil and other deleteriousmaterials thereby permitting storage of a reloaded cartridge forrelatively 'long periods of time.

As shown in FIG. 6, upon firing of the reloaded cartridge including thebullet 16, the ridges 22, 23 and 24 are deformed into the associatedgrooves 26 and 28 as the bullet 16 passes through the barrel of thefirearm and the deformed ridges function to seal the propelled bulletwithin the barrel of the firearm so that the hot gases do not escapepast the bullet with a resultant loss of propelling force and erosion ofthe barrel of the firearm. i

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the present inventionprovides a bullet which may be assembled with a previously firedcartridge case in such a manner that the usual steps of contracting theneck of the previously fired cartridge case and-subsequent deformationin the opposite direction upon pressing of the bullet into the cartridgecase are both avoided. In this manner, not only are some of the usualprior steps in the reloading of a cartridge case avoided but also theresultant cartridge with the bullet l6 reloaded therein is more accuratethan prior art types of reloaded cartridges.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be understood that various changes and modificationsmay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A bullet for use with a previously fired cartridge case having a neckportion defining an internal cylindrical passageway, said bullet havinga nose portion adapted to project from said case and an integralcylindrical butt portion adapted to be received in said internalpassageway defined by said neck portion of said cartridge case, saidbutt portion having an outside diameter corresponding to a predeterminedcaliber and less than the inside diameter of said neck portion, anannular ridge formed on said butt portion and projecting beyond 'thesurface of said butt portion, said butt portion defining an annulargroove adjacent to said ridge, said ridge having a diameter greater thanthe inside diameter of said neck portion, said ridge having a relativelythin section adjacent its outer circumference deflectable upon entryinto said internal passageway to retain said butt portion in saidpassageway without substantially deflecting said neck portion.

2. A bullet as set forth in claim 1 in which the volume v adapted toproject from said case and an integral cylindrical butt portion havingan outside diameter corresponding to a predetermined caliber and lessthan the inside diameter of said neck portion, said butt portion beingadapted to be received in said internal passageway defined by said neckportion of said cartridge case, at least a pair of annular ridges formedon said butt portion and disposed generally in spaced planes normal tothe longitudinal axis of said bullet, said butt portion defining agroove adjacent each of said ridges, said ridges having an outsidediameter greater than the inside diameter of said neck portion of saidcase and being deflectable upon entry into said internal passageway toretain said butt portion in said passageway without substantiallydeflecting said neck portion, said grooves having a root diameter lessthan the outside diameter of said butt portion.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 in which said ridges on saidbutt portion are formed ofa material of greater ductility than thematerial of said cartridge case.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 in which said butt portiondefines an additional groove adjacent each of said ridges and in whichsaid ridges are deformed into said grooves upon discharge of said bullet

1. A bullet for use with a previously fired cartridge case having a neckportion defining an internal cylindrical passageway, said bullet havinga nose portion adapted to project from said case and an integralcylindrical butt portion adapted to be received in said internalpassageway defined by said neck portion of said cartridge case, saidbutt portion having an outside diameter corresponding to a predeterminedcaliber and less than the inside diameter of said neck portion, anannular ridge formed on said butt portion and projecting beyond thesurface of said butt portion, said butt portion defining an annulargroove adjacent to said ridge, said ridge having a diameter greater thanthe inside diameter of said neck portion, said ridge having a relativelythin section adjacent its outer circumference deflectable upon entryinto said internal passageway to retain said butt portion in saidpassageway without substantially deflecting said neck portion.
 2. Abullet as set forth in claim 1 in which the volume of said annulargroove defIned by said butt portion is greater than the volume of saidannular ridge on said butt portion.
 3. In combination with a previouslyfired cartridge case having a neck portion defining an internalcylindrical passageway, a bullet including a nose portion adapted toproject from said case and an integral cylindrical butt portion havingan outside diameter corresponding to a predetermined caliber and lessthan the inside diameter of said neck portion, said butt portion beingadapted to be received in said internal passageway defined by said neckportion of said cartridge case, at least a pair of annular ridges formedon said butt portion and disposed generally in spaced planes normal tothe longitudinal axis of said bullet, said butt portion defining agroove adjacent each of said ridges, said ridges having an outsidediameter greater than the inside diameter of said neck portion of saidcase and being deflectable upon entry into said internal passageway toretain said butt portion in said passageway without substantiallydeflecting said neck portion, said grooves having a root diameter lessthan the outside diameter of said butt portion.
 4. The combination asset forth in claim 3 in which said ridges on said butt portion areformed of a material of greater ductility than the material of saidcartridge case.
 5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 in which saidbutt portion defines an additional groove adjacent each of said ridgesand in which said ridges are deformed into said grooves upon dischargeof said bullet in a firearm.